About this Event
Across the globe, there are so many tales of injustice and oppression. Ndigbo as a people have had their own fair share of injustice and oppression dating back to more than a century. Some very prominent cases include the 1929 uprising of Igbo women against oppression in Aba popularly known as Aba Women’s War (Ogu Umunwanyi) where 50 women were reported killed and another 50 wounded; the November 18, 1949 Massacre of Igbo Coal Miners at Iva Valley in Enugu that involved the gruesome killing of 32 men; the 1967 – 1970 pogrom of Ndigbo tagged – the Nigeria-Biafra War that led to the death of millions of Igbo sons and daughters, and so many other cases of oppression and injustice like the wanton killings and brutality suffered by Ndigbo and other Nigerians in the hands of law enforcement agents lately, in Nigeria.
These are two silent but very important memorials for Ndigbo and should be treated as such. It is something of great concern to us at CFM, that after almost a century, there is no day set aside to commemorate the Aba Women’s War; more than 70 years after about 32 Igbo men were murdered in cold blood in service to their nation, there is no day set aside in Enugu state, across Igboland and Nigeria, to remember the Iva Valley Coal Mine Massacre of Nov 18, 1949.
In keeping to our mandate of documenting, archiving, preserving and showcasing Igbo history and memories, the Centre for Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo decided to commemorate these memorials annually. Last year, the Centre held an event to commemorate and honour the memory of the victims of the Aba Women’s War and the Iva Valley Coal Mine Massacre. In line with that step that resonated well with Ndigbo, CFM will host another memorial event on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 to mark these 2 events. This event, with the theme Ozugo: Ending Injustice and Oppression, will feature a wreath-laying ceremony, online poetry and spoken word performances, radio appearances and a Zoom webinar.
In memorializing these events, we remember, honour and show solidarity to our fallen brothers and sisters whose action has remained a great source of inspiration against oppression and injustice to many generations after. The actions of these great Igbo sons and daughters many years after inspired the unified proactive movements for the independence of Nigeria. Simply put, they paid the price for Nigeria’s independence and freedom with their blood.
The event will also help us lend our voices to the global clarion call to end injustice and create a just, fair and humane society, characterized by equity and fair play. The outcome of these events is expected to help get Ndigbo and indeed Nigerians to properly honour the memory of the victims of these two events and also help get the government to set aside a date to commemorate the Aba Women’s War and the Iva Valley Coal Mine Massacre.
Date: Wednesday, 18th November, 2020
Time: 8:00AM. Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Venue: Coal Miners’ Monument, New Market Round About, Enugu (Take off point: Polo Park Mall, Enugu by 7:00AM
Time: 5:00PM. Online Panel Discussion
Venue: Zoom (link will be sent to your email after registration)
We look forward to having you join us!
